Ararat Capital Management LP Decreases Stock Position in National Vision Holdings, Inc. $EYE

Ararat Capital Management LP decreased its holdings in National Vision Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:EYE) by 21.6% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 398,289 shares of the company’s stock after selling 109,460 shares during the quarter. National Vision accounts for approximately 6.2% of Ararat Capital Management LP’s portfolio, making the stock its 7th largest position. Ararat Capital Management LP’s holdings in National Vision were worth $11,626,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of National Vision during the third quarter worth $29,000. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of National Vision in the second quarter valued at $35,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board raised its holdings in shares of National Vision by 333.3% in the second quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 3,900 shares of the company’s stock valued at $90,000 after buying an additional 3,000 shares during the last quarter. LSV Asset Management acquired a new position in National Vision during the 3rd quarter worth about $93,000. Finally, Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its position in National Vision by 14.7% during the 3rd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 3,431 shares of the company’s stock worth $100,000 after buying an additional 440 shares in the last quarter.

National Vision Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:EYE opened at $26.28 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 71.03, a P/E/G ratio of 2.06 and a beta of 1.38. National Vision Holdings, Inc. has a 1-year low of $10.45 and a 1-year high of $30.02. The company has a current ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 0.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $27.28 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $26.69.

National Vision (NASDAQ:EYE) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, March 4th. The company reported $0.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.06 by $0.09. National Vision had a net margin of 1.49% and a return on equity of 5.15%. The company had revenue of $503.41 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $495.26 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted ($0.04) EPS. The company’s revenue was up 15.1% compared to the same quarter last year. National Vision has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.850-1.090 EPS. Equities analysts predict that National Vision Holdings, Inc. will post 0.31 earnings per share for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Zacks Research cut shares of National Vision from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday. Citigroup upped their target price on shares of National Vision from $35.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of National Vision from $39.00 to $42.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of National Vision from $27.00 to $30.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Wolfe Research set a $35.00 price objective on shares of National Vision in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, National Vision has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $31.21.

Insider Transactions at National Vision

In other National Vision news, Chairman L Reade Fahs sold 7,601 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $29.58, for a total value of $224,837.58. Following the transaction, the chairman directly owned 694,880 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $20,554,550.40. This trade represents a 1.08% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 2.70% of the company’s stock.

National Vision Profile

National Vision Holdings, Inc is an American optical retailer specializing in accessible vision care and eyewear. The company operates under multiple retail banners, offering comprehensive eye health services and a wide range of optical products. Since its founding in the early 1990s, National Vision has focused on providing value-driven solutions, targeting underserved and price‐conscious consumer segments.

Through its primary retail brands—including America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses, Eyeglass World, Optical America and Vista Optical—National Vision delivers services such as comprehensive eye examinations, prescription eyewear, contact lenses, sunglasses and lens accessories.